Ashes 2013: England v Australia, third Test day one tea report

Third Test, day one (tea): Australia (180-3) v England

Two-nil down and almost out of this Ashes series, Australia by tea were a long way towards assembling their first decent total of the summer.

Half-centuries were contributed by Chris Rogers and their captain Michael Clarke, while Australia had their share of luck with the umpiring – after an apparent mistake went against Usman Khawaja in the morning session.

It looks like being the highest-scoring match of this series to date, and the side that holds a first innings lead of substance will have a big advantage in the second half of it as the ball turns increasingly.

Rogers set the encouraging new tone for Australia, as opening batsmen are paid to do. He scored 84 from only 114 balls and his cover-driving was the biggest obstacle that England’s bowlers have faced so far from a specialist batsman – Ashton Agar’s 98 at Trent Bridge having been made at number eleven.

Rogers was unlucky too in the circumstances of his dismissal. As the square at Old Trafford has been reoriented by 90 degrees, the members in the pavilion are now behind the arm – but are apparently still accustomed to moving around during an over.

Rogers became ever more exasperated by these members standing up or moving, and pulled away during the over that he was dismissed – when Graeme Swann fired in an offbreak which Rogers, trying to hit through square-leg, missed.

Clarke, even though he was batting in his non-favourite position of number four, took up the running from Rogers. If England have a match-winner here it is most likely Swann, although this is James Anderson’s home ground, and Clarke took it upon himself to go after Swann.

Clarke chose to hit Swann against the spin in the recent fashion, not with it. He came down the pitch to catch the half-volleys and drive through the covers or over mid-off.

England’s seamers were all threatening, but the onus was on Swann as the ball was turning as much as a fifth-day pitch of last year – or a third-day pitch of this summer.

Stuart Broad still searched for his 200th Test wicket, Tim Bresnan was his new and accurate self, while Anderson probed everytime he bowled, but Australia still reached 180-3 by tea – with only 53 of the day’s 90 overs bowled.

Anderson was convinced he had Steve Smith caught behind off a horrible drive, when 18, but Marais Erasmus give him not out – and there was no conclusive evidence to over-turn the decision.

England had therefore lost both of their reviews, as Swann had used up one in appealing for LBW, also against Smith.